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Fédération Cynologique Internationale

United Kennel Club

Frisian Water Dog

(Wetterhoun)

Frisian Water Dog

ORIGIN

:

FCI

The Netherlands.

PUBLISHED

:

FCI

30.05.1989.

UTILISATION

:

FCI

Dog for otter hunting.

CLASSIFICATION

:

FCI

Group 8

Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs

Section 3

Water Dogs

With working trial

UKC

Gun Dog

TRANSLATION

:

FCI

Yoka ten Berge and Prof. Triquet.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY

:

UKC

Dutch breeders created the Fresian Water Dog about 400 years ago, probably from an older breed that was simply known as Old Water Dog. The dogs were originally used by fishermen to kill otters. When otters became less trouble for fishermen, the dogs began being used for hunting and guarding. The breed is very rare and is found almost exclusively in the Netherlands.
The Fresian Water Dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

:

FCI

A well balanced dog, traditionally used for otter hunting. A sturdy animal, but neither plump nor clumsy, square and thick set in overall build, with close fitting skin, free from throatiness or dewlap. Lips not pendulous.

UKC

A rugged, sturdy breed that is well balanced, square and covered with curly hair, except on the face, which is smooth.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT

Intelligent, stubborn and independent, the breed is friendly with its family and good with children but suspicious of strangers and makes a good guard dog.

HEAD

:

FCI

Dry, size in balance to the body, strong and powerful.

UKC

The head is dry, strong and powerful.

CRANIAL REGION

:

Skull

:

FCI

Slightly rounded, giving the impression of being wider than long, gently sloping into the cheeks. Skull and muzzle of the same length.

UKC

The skull is slightly rounded, wider than it is long, and slopes gently into the cheeks. The skull and muzzle are of the same length, and the stop is slight.

Stop

:

FCI

The skull falls gently away into the foreface, stop only slightly indicated.

FACIAL REGION

:

Nose

:

FCI

Well developed, not split. Black for dogs with black ground colour and brown for dogs with brown ground colour. Nostrils well developed and open.

UKC

Well developed, with open nostrils, black or brown depending on the color of the coat.

Muzzle

:

FCI

Powerful, tapering slightly to the nose, not pointed, but truncated. Nasal bridge broad and straight, neither concave nor convex when viewed from the side.

UKC

Powerful, tapering slightly from eye to nose, but not pointed. The nasal bridge is broad and straight. The lips are tight fitting.

Lips

:

FCI

Tightly fitting, not overhanging.

Jaws/Teeth

:

FCI

Teeth powerful, scissor bite.

UKC

The Fresian Water Dog has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite.

Cheeks

:

FCI

Musculature moderately developed.

Eyes

:

FCI

Of medium size, oval, with tightly fitting lids, without showing the conjunctiva; placed slightly slanting, causing a somewhat grim expression. They are neither bulging nor deep-set. Colour dark-brown for dogs with a black ground colour, and brown for dogs with a brown ground colour. Bird of prey eyes are objectionable.

Ears

:

UKC

Set rather low and carried close to the head, the ears are moderately long and shaped like a mason’s trowel. They are covered with curly hair that is rather long at the set on of the ear, gradually shortening to the tip.

Leathers

:

FCI

Set rather low. The auricle is so little developed that ears hang flat along the head without any break. Objectionable are strongly developed auricles with the break not immediately at the set on, but further down causing the ear lobe not to hang close to the head. The ears are moderately long and have the form of a mason’s trowel. The coating of the ear is a typical characteristic of the breed. It is curled, rather long at the set-on of the ear, decreasing in length to the lower 1/3 part where the ear is covered with short hair.

NECK

:

FCI

Short, strong, round, merging into the topline in a very blunt angle, i.e. the head is mostly carried low. The neck slightly arched. No throatiness or dewlap.

UKC

Short, strong, arched and carried low. No dewlap.

BODY

:

FCI

Very powerful.

UKC

The body is very powerful. The chest is wider than it is deep, so that the forefeet are rather wide apart. The ribs are well rounded and reach well back. The back is short and straight, and the loin is strong. The croup is only slightly sloping. The underline is moderately tucked up.

Back

:

FCI

Short and straight.

Loin

:

FCI

Strong.

Croup

:

FCI

Only slightly sloping.

Chest

:

FCI

Wide, showing more width than depth, so that the forefeet are rather wide apart, rounded, not reaching lower than the elbow. Ribs well rounded and well developed towards the rear.

Underline and belly

:

FCI

Only moderately tucked up.

TAIL

:

FCI

Long, carried as ring tail over or alongside the croup.

UKC

Long, and carried as a ring tail curled over, or beside, the croup.

LIMBS

:

FOREQUARTERS

:

UKC

The shoulder blade is well placed against the chest, obliquely set and well angulated.

Shoulder

:

FCI

Shoulder blade, well-laid against the chest; obliquely placed and well angulated.

FORELEGS

:

UKC

Powerful and straight, with upright pasterns.

Forearm

:

FCI

Powerful and straight.

Pastern

:

FCI

Straight, not obliquely set.

FEET

:

UKC

Round, with thick pads and well arched toes.

Forefeet

:

FCI

Round, toes well developed and arched, pads thick.

Hind feet

:

FCI

Round with well developed pads.

HINDQUARTERS

:

FCI

Powerful, moderately angulated.

UKC

Powerful, and moderately angulated.

HIND LEGS

:

UKC

The lower thigh is not too long. The rear pasterns are short.

Lower thigh

:

FCI

Not too long.

Hock joint

:

FCI

Placed low.

Rear pastern

:

FCI

Short.

COAT

:

HAIR

:

FCI

With the exception of the head and legs, the body is covered with tight curls consisting of firm, strong tufts of hair. Sparse curls or curls of thin hair tufts give the dog a woolly appearance, which must be considered a serious fault. The coat itself is rather coarse in texture and has a greasy touch.

UKC

With the exception of the head and legs, the body is covered with tight curls of firm hair. The coat is coarse, and has a greasy feel.

COLOUR

:

FCI

Solid black or brown, or black with white markings, or brown with white markings. Ticking or roan in the white are permitted.

UKC

Solid black, solid brown, or black or brown with white markings, with or without ticking.

SIZE

:

Height at withers

:

FCI

Ideal size for dogs 59 cm, for bitches 55 cm.

UKC

Ideal height at the withers for males is 23 inches. For females, it is 21.5 inches.

FAULTS

:

FCI

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.